Optical fiber sensors developed for measuring pH values usually employ an unclad and unstrained section of the fiber. In this paper, we describe the design and fabrication of a microbent fiber optic sensor that can be used for pH sensing. In order to obtain the desired performance, a permanently microbent portion of a plastic optic fiber is coated with a thin film of dye impregnated sol–gel material. The measurements are simultaneously carried out in two independent detection schemes viz., the bright field detection configuration for detecting the core modes and dark field detection configuration, for detecting the cladding modes. The results of measurements of core mode-power and cladding mode-power variation with change in pH of a solution surrounding the coated portion of the fiber is presented. This paper thus demonstrates how a bare plastic fiber can be modified for pH sensing in a simple and cost effective manner.

The nanosecond optical limiting characteristics of sandwich-type neodymium diphthalocyanine in a co-polymer matrix of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and methyl-2-cyanoacrylate have been studied for the first time. The measurements were performed using 9 ns laser pulses generated from a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm wavelength. The optical limiting performance of neodymium diphthalocyanine in co-polymer host was studied at different linear transmission. Laser damage threshold was also measured for the doped and undoped co-polymer samples. The optical limiting response is attributed to reverse saturable absorption which is due to excited-state absorption.

The nanosecond optical-limiting characteristics (at 532 nm) of some rare-earth metallo-phthalocyanines (Sm(Pc)2, Eu(Pc)2, and LaPc) doped in a copolymer matrix of poly(methyl methacrylate) and methyl-2-cyanoacrylate have been studied for the first time to our knowledge. The optical-limiting response is attributed to reverse saturable absorption due to excited-state absorption. The performance of LaPc in a copolymer host is studied at different linear transmissions. The laser damage thresholds of all the samples are also reported.

An open-cell configuration of the photoacoustic (PA) technique is employed to determine the thermal and transport properties of intrinsic Si and Si doped with B (p-type) and P (n-type). The experimentally obtained phase of the PA signal under heat transmission configuration is fitted to that of theoretical model by taking thermal and transport properties, namely, thermal diffusivity, diffusion coefficient, and surface recombination velocity, as adjustable parameters. It is seen from the analysis that doping and also the nature of dopant have a strong influence on the thermal and transport properties of semiconductors. The results are interpreted in terms of the carrier-assisted and phonon-assisted heat transfer mechanisms in semiconductors as well as the various scattering processes occurring in the propagation of heat carriers.

Photoacoustic spectrum of samarium phthalocyanine powder is recorded and compared with previously reported UV–vis absorption spectra of the same dissolved in different liquid and solid host media. The Davidov splitting of Q band is observed in the PA spectrum but the two bands are overlapped considerably and the shorter wavelength band is more intense and dominating one in the powder spectrum.

The photobleaching of the lasing dye Rhodamine 6G embedded in the solid
matrix poly(methyl methacrylate) was investigated using a photoacoustic technique.
Chopped laser radiation from an argon ion laser at four different wavelengths was used for
the study. Experimental results indicate that the photobleaching rate is directly proportional
to the incident laser power while it decreases with increase in concentration of the dye
molecules. In the present case we have not observed any dependence of photobleaching on
the chopping frequency. One-photon absorption is found to be responsible for the
photobleaching of the dye within the selected range of laser power.

The photobleaching of the lasing dye Rhodamine 6G embedded in the solid
matrix poly(methyl methacrylate) was investigated using a photoacoustic technique.
Chopped laser radiation from an argon ion laser at four different wavelengths was used for
the study. Experimental results indicate that the photobleaching rate is directly proportional
to the incident laser power while it decreases with increase in concentration of the dye
molecules. In the present case we have not observed any dependence of photobleaching on
the chopping frequency. One-photon absorption is found to be responsible for the
photobleaching of the dye within the selected range of laser power